Child Safety Seats:

Protect Your ChildBy Sharyn W. Hillin

Statistics Tell
the Story
Did you know that according to the
Alabama Department of Public
Health (2019), motor vehicle
crashes are the leading cause of
death in children ages 4-8, and
less than 10% of children in this
age group use child safety seats in Effects on You and Your Family
Alabama? In addition, 4 out of 5
parents who do use child safety Motor vehicle injury and deaths are a primary health concern
seats for their children use in our society today but also one of the most preventable.
improper restraints or installations.
Children are the most vulnerable to motor vehicle injuries due
The National Highway Traffic to having softer bones, weaker neck muscles, and smaller more
Safety Administration (NHTSA) fragile bodies. Child safety seats can help to prevent death and
estimates that child safety seats injuries to children in motor vehicle accidents. Most injuries or
reduce the risk of fatal injury by deaths in children are the result of being thrown into the
71% in infants, and 54% for windshield or dashboard, being thrown from the car, or being
toddlers (NHTSA, 2019). crushed by an adult in the car. Child safety seats are designed
to hold the child in the seat and prevent him/her from being
thrown, absorb the impact of a crash, and prevent the child
Facts You Should Know from being crush by an adult.
Nationally, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention You can keep your children safe by always using an approved
(CDC) report that 723 children under and properly installed child safety seat!
the age of twelve died in motor
vehicle accidents in 2016, while more
than 128,000 were injured. Of those What Can You Do?
children who died in car crashes, 35%
were not in child safety seats (CDC,  Check the labels and owner's manual to make sure you have the right
2019). car seat for your child. Check the height and weight limits.
 Check the date of manufacture on the seat label or owner's manual to
Another CDC study found make sure that it has not expired.
that more that 618,000 children
 Keep kids rear-facing for as long as possible until they outgrow the
annually ride in motor vehicles height and weight limits, which usually occurs around age 2 or later.
without the use of child safety seats.
 Keep kids in the back seat until they are 13 years old.
 THE LOREM IPSUMS WINTER 2016

References

Alabama Department of Public Health (2019). Child restraints: Car seats and booster seats.

Retrieved from: http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/injuryprevention/car-seats.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Child passenger safety: Get the facts.

Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-

factsheet.html

Community Preventive Services Task Force (2013). Motor vehicle injury: Child safety seats.

Retrieved from: https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/motor-vehicle-injury-child-

safety-seats-distribution-and-education-programs